Reason for Beauty
by MemoryWriter
Summary: Tomboy Sakura's forced to enter a modeling competition to save her school from closing down & to prevent her best friends from going away. But as she begins shows her true beauty will Sasuke finally see her as more than just his closest childhood friend?
1. Chapter 1

**Happy late New Years everyone! **

**Super late, I know. But with it being a new month I thought I'd start off with another new story idea and see where it takes off. **

**I remember a long time ago when I was little, I was watching this modeling tv show with my mom. How I suddenly remembered it is beyond me BUT it gave me a great (coughnotsogreatcough) idea to make it the base of a new idea and here's the beginning of my finished product! **

**Well almost finished. But yeah, here's the basic idea. Sakura's local town has agreed to shut down the local school due to lack of funds, to make up for it, Sakura deicdes to eneter a modeling contest and to win the prize money to save her school. However Sakura is nothing close to model-material. Can she really do it? **

**And there you go. Here's the first chapter! Give me some feedback if possible ^^ **

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"SASUKE UCHIHA, NARUTO UZUMAKI, NEJI HYUUGA, KIBA INUZUKA, SHIKAMARU NARA, TO MY OFFICE! NOW!" The loudspeaker could be heard throughout the halls of Leafville High. That voice that just shouted, was the Principal, Miss Rin. She was known as a rather loud-mouthed young lady, but she was cool. It would be every so often that Miss Rin would call so explicitly without warning.

"Geez, now what'd we do?" groaned Naruto from his seat in class.

"What'd _we_do? It was probably you who got us into trouble again!" Kiba snapped at the blond.

"Let's just go, already," said Shikamaru "If we take too long she'll make another unnecessary announcement." The five boys stood up and leaving the room as instructed. It's not that they hated their principal. In fact those guys were probably the senior-favorites of the principal herself. They just hated it when she'd call for them over the loudspeakers like an army general, barking orders. And _everyone_ heard her.

Downstairs on the second floor was the principals administration office, where three adults stood. And through the door walked in Naruto, checking to see if it was okay to come in. "We're here, Rin," Naruto announced, blinking from confusement. But much to his horrification were the three principals of Leaville. Inside the room was Obito, the principal of Leafville Elementary, Kakashi, the principal of Leaville Academy College, and Rin, the principal of here, Leafville High School. An entire area in town here consisted of an educational facility neighboring next to each other. An elementary school, a high school, and a college. The term 'close-knit' is an understatement here.

"There they are. About time you guys got here," smiled Rin in her usual teenage-demanor. Almost hard to believe she was an adult.

"Seriously Rin could you ever act your age?" asked Kakashi with a slight glance away from his book.

"Well where's the fun in that?" Obito chuckled.

"So what's the big deal here you had to pull us out of chemistry?" Sasuke questioned the adults.

"Which by the way, I _really_ wanna thank you for," Naruto added with his trademark grin.

There was a short glance at him. "Anyway," Rin said in a serious tone, crossing her arms. "There's something I need to tell you guys. It's urgent news I've received not too long ago."

Kakashi instantly resumed. "Put simply in terms you can understand the board decided to close down the Leafville school line."

Obito turned suddenly to the white-haired man. "So much for breaking it down gently."

Each of the students' eyes widened, even the slightest like such of that of Sasuke, Neji, and Shikamaru. However the other two teens Naruto and Kiba were quick to respond to Kakashi's rather blunt statement. "What?" Kiba shot. "You're kidding right?"

"Yeah! Why would they close us down, anyhow? I wanna speak to the guy in charge right now or my name isn't Naruto Uzumaki-!"

"Like your yelling us supposed to help persuade whoever's closing us down to think otherwise?" Sasuke remarked with an amused smirk.

"Shut up, Uchiha!"

Rin sighed. "I knew they'd get all riled up if we told them."

"So why _did_ you tell us of this news?" questioned Neji, leaning against the wall. Naruto's and Kiba's bickering went on in the background. "I doubt any of the other students know about this yet."

She shook her head in reply. "No. No one knows, except for everyone in this room anyhow." She was eyeing each of her students as she spoke. "All three schools are being closed because of funding. No money."

"Well that's a stupid reason," Naruto scoffed with a face.

"But I've called you here for a very special reason," Rin continued as she slammed her palms on her wooden desk. Kakashi and Obito stood behind her. "Throughout your high school careers here I've known you guys since you were newbie freshmen. And I know, that your little 'group' has had an eye for trouble ever since. And now, you're seniors, practically adults now if you may. So, I am going to address this new matter to you in a proper, mature manner. And thus I hope you give a just as equal mature response." Rin took a momentary pause to see the boys paying her full attention. "You boys have any schemes and plots for making fast cash?"

"You're seriously asking us that?" asked Sasuke in disbelief.

"We're that desperate," Kakashi replied simply and flatly.

"Hey," Naruto glared with a rising offended tone.

"There is this one idea," Shikamaru spoke up sluggishly, holding a thoughtful finger to his chin. He _was_ the brains in their most times. He just never used it much in his education. "It's hard to believe I even remember this kinda thing, but my mom knows about this male modeling contest they have out east. She tried to make me enter one year but like I'd ever agree to such a stupid idea."

"That contest on Shinobi Island they hold every year?" Kiba recalled.

"Unfortunately yeah," he replied with an aggravated look in his eyes. "But I hear the winner gets a lot of money - practically a million dollars to first place."

Run grinned. "Then that's exactly what we need."

"Modeling, huh?" Naruto suggested with starry eyes. "Looks like it's the heavens way of saying that I don't have to attend college and that I've finally found my calling."

"In your dreams!" Kiba laughed, ruining Naruto's fantasy as he shoved the blond's head. "If anyone's hottie material around here that'd be me! We all see how the chicks react after school when they see me walk out."

"Only because they like to pet your stupid dog!" Another arguement was up.

A vein popped in Kiba's head and he put Naruto in a head lock. "Wanna say that claim again?" The former calmness of a decent idea forming came to an end as another fight aroused, but the rest simply watched, again.

"Why doesn't this reaction surprise me," Neji muttered. Everyone agreed in mind.

Shikamaru tilted his head, starting to feel tired for standing for so long. "And besides, from what my Mom blabs on at breakfast, this year they changed it from male modeling to females."

Alertness came about. "Females?" Naruto and Kiba repeated, pausing from their rough-housing.

"Is that so," Kakashi intervened, closing his book. Obito and Rin glanced at him. "If that's the case we just need a girl from here to enter that little contest and win." Again, none of the boys spoke, but all had the same thought in mind, choosing a girl from this school was a _bad_ idea.

However Shikamaru again was the first to speak up, surprisingly. "Can't be anyone bad, though," he warned. "And just about all the girls around here are complete idiots. If anything, they'd mess up our chances of winning the prize money."

"Ah come on Shikamaru not _every_ girl in this school is that horrible," Naruto ginned, his arm suddenly around the lazy teen's shoulders before facing his gang of friends. "Now, who do we know that's smart, assertive, not conceited, is a _girl_, and actually has her head screwed on right?"

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"HIYAAA!" I yelled, kicking the soccer ball with all my might from my foot, apart from the pile of other soccer balls I was using. After the kick he ball landed across the field and right into the goal. When it did an accomplished smile made its way onto my face, and I crossed my arms in satisfaction. I had last period free since I didn't need all the classes, and I spend it always outside in the school soccer fields, practicing. Leafville High didn't have a girls soccer team, but I didn't care as long as I got to play every now and then. "Well it looks like I'm getting better at this long distance thing."

"Hey Sakura!" called Naruto Uzumaki's voice.

I looked up, seeing my friends running up to me from the horizon of the school sports field. I found it strange that they weren't in class. Maybe they were skipping? As I squinted my eyes to get a better sight, I saw the guys stop in a distance and start talking to one another, more specifically to Sasuke. Or around Sasuke. My eyebros furrowed in curious confusion. "Now what're they up to?"

They began shoving Sasuke forward until he began walking on his own, trudging along with obvious defeat in his eyes. Well, whatever they want from me looks like they're sending Sasuke only. Must be important. "Hi Sasuke," I said in greeting, pausing from my soccer practice to talk with him. Sasuke was my best friend, and it wasn't often that I snapped at him as I did Naruto or anyone else. "So what'd the others send you over for this time that they all can't come up to my face and ask me myself?"

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you," said Sasuke with a chuckle as he watched me kick another soccer ball. It missed the net this time.

"Oh really," I said with a smile. "Then how come you're nervous?"

"I'm not nervous."

"Yes you are," I argued. "You have both your hands in your jacket pockets and you're leaning on your left leg."

"So?"

"That tells me when you're nervous. You always happen to do that when you're nervous. Like when they told us about the 'birds and the bees' back in the eigth grade. You tried to act all cool and pretend it didn't bother you but then Naruto said-"

"Don't even try to remmind me," he glared, interupting me by covering my mouth with one of his hands. His grip was firm until he finally let go and placed his hand back in his pocket.

I felt my chin for just a second and then I made a face at him. "Looks like someone's not in the mood."

"Are you gonna let me make my point or are you just gonna go on."

"No no, tell me what you need to tell me." I picked up a soccer ball and threw it upwards, beginning to bounce it on my knees.

Sasuke breathed out before he began to speak again. "...We... need you to enter a modeling contest."

My concentration made a halt and the soccer ball dropped on the grass below us. With extreme hesitancy I slowly turned my head to face Sasuke, who looked like he was trying to avoid eye-contact with me. "W-What did you say?"

"See? A totally ridiculous idea so I'm just gonna go now-"

"Hold on right there, Sasuke," I said with a confident look, snatching the back of his blue and white jacket. This kept him from going back to the others whom I noticed were still watching from an assumingly safe distance. "Why do you want me to enter some beauty pageant anyway? If Naruto asked then sure I'd expect it but, if you do it then..." I tried to think of what to say next. "Well, there's gotta be a good reason right?"

After I let go of him, he stayed and turned around to face me. "Okay look, here's the deal. The school needs money and Shikamaru says there's this modeling thing coming up. We need you to enter and win."

"... And Shikamaru said this."

"Yeah yeah I know it's all hard to believe but it's the truth," he continued. I could see him trying to get this over with as soon as possible. "All our schools from the Leaville Elementary Department to the College are gonna close unless it has the money so we _really_ need you to do this."

"Ah, so, the guys send _you_ over because I might say yes if _you_ ask?"

"Them, not me."

"W-Well, why me of all people then? There're plenty of other girls in school who'd love to be a model and dress like dolls." I bent down to pick up the soccer ball. "And besides, you know me Sasuke. I don't model."

Sasuke surprised me with a smirk. "Guess I can't say I didn't try."

"No I'm gonna do it," I said instantaneously before he got the wrong idea.

"Huh?"

I put up a smile for him. "You said it was for the school didn't you?" I kicked another soccer ball across the field. "I know we're all seniors about to graduate, but I still don't want these schools to close any time soon. And even if it means humiliating myself then I'll do what I can to help."

Sasuke starred for a moment, lowering his head slightly. "You're one brave tomboy, you know?"

"Yeah yeah shut up," I laughed, throwing a soccer ball at him. Amidst our shared laughter, Naruto and company watched from afar, away from the soccer field. They began to wonder what became of their hopeful plan, whether I said yes or not.

"You think she agreed?" Naruto asked, holding his hands over his forehead with squinting his eyes.

"You can never really tell anything when it comes to those two," Neji pointed out. They witnessed me tackling Sasuke from his back, only for us to fall down laughing.

Kiba wrinkled his nose with his finger. "If they're just friends now, I'd hate to see what they're like if they were ever together."

That comment irritated the blond of the group, and he turned around. "You better watch what you say, Inuzuka."

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Sasuke and I walked through the doors of my house. It was customary for him to come over to my house after school. He lived next door to me so walking distance wasn't a problem. Sasuke's parents were never home because of business, and his brother Itachi also had a job out of town. Neither Sasuke or I knew about what his job particularly was, but he said once before that it wouldn't matter if we knew or not. "I'm home!" I called into my home. My calling voice echoed throughout the place, eventually for it to reach the dining room where my mom was.

"In here sweetie!" her voice rang. Throwing our school bags onto the couch Sasuke and I went to the other room. Upon entrance I stopped in midtracks when I saw my mother working on a large pink ball grown on a while headless mannequin. My mother worked as a local fashion designer, designing concepts and making them come alive for others. It was a wonderful gift of hers, something I never really took interest in myself. "Sasuke, you've come by just on time to see Sakura try on her new dress!" This is exactly why.

Sasuke glanced curiously over at me. "That's yours?" he smirked.

I glared at him in response, embarrassed red cheeks appearing. "My mom says it's tradition for Haruno girls to celebrate their eighteenth birthday with this big blow-out debutante ball. Unfortunately I have no say in this, but I need eighteen friends for a court, nine guys and nine girls."

"Do you even know that many people?"

"And there enlies my problem."

"You guys seriously celebrate eighteenth birthdays like that?" Sasuke asked the older Haruno woman.

"Only the laddies," she giggled, coming down from the stool she was standing on. "It'll be just beautiful watching my daughter's coming-of-age. Sasuke you will be coming won't you?"

Meanwhile I stood behind my mother making hand signals at Sasuke for him to say no. It would be greatly embarassing for Sasuke to see me dressing and dancing like some rich-girl princess. On the opossing side Sasuke decided to spite me instead. "Sure Mrs. Haruno. It'd be an honor to come," accepted Sasuke with a gentleman's smile. I glared at him once more, eye twitching. So much for his help in objection.

"Marvelous! It'll be on the fourteenth of June."

"The day after graduation?" I asked with a worried tone. "But why? That's gonna be two days in a row where I have to wear a dress."

"Oh my! I forgot to design your graduation dress!" panicked Ms. Haruno, rushing out of the room and up the stairs to get her supplies.

Silence broke out in the dining room. "...That wasn't weird at all," Sasuke finally spoke.

I took a breath, taking a seat on the stool my mother was previously using. "Well, besides _that_ problem, what am I gonna do about this modeling thing?"

"If what Shikamaru said was right, you'll be heading off to Shinobi Island in two weeks."

"That fast huh?" I put a thoughtful finger to my chin. "You sure I'm the right choice for this? I mean if there's someone better suited then I'll back down, you know that."

"Why do you think we chose you out of all people? I think we're settled.

I thought for a moment. I needed motivation, now what exactly was it? Then it came to me. "I got it," I began to grin. "You know how in these debutante ball things the guest of honor needs an escort, right?"

"Where you getting at."

"You'll be my escort."

"That has nothing to do with saving the school," he frowned.

"Well I have my own problems too okay? Come on Sasuke please? I really need you to do this for me. If I don't find an escort for this thing soon my mom's going to pair me up with some snobby foreign guy."

"Good. Get a guy already."

"Sasuke," I whined.

"No way am I wearing a tux and ballroom dancing."

"Then I guess I can't do the modeling thing," I smiled, making a compromise. Sasuke narrowed his eyes. Looks like we've reached something. "Alright Sasuke, I'll do what you guys want, but let's have a bet. If I win the competition at Shinobi Island, you have to be my escort for my birthday party."

"And if you loose?"

I put on a pout. Bets were always amusing to Sasuke. He was never one to loose one. "Well I don't know. What do you want?"

"If you loose the bet, you have to take Naruto as your escort instead."

My face broke into one of distortion. "You're kidding."

"Do I look like I'm kidding?" He was so trying to hide a look of amusement. He failed at that. "I'm serious. If you win the bet, then I'll be your escort for your little party no questions asked. If you loose, you'll be dancing the night away with Uzumaki."

"Fine," I told him stubbornly. "But no backing out."

"Same goes to you, princess."

I smacked him in the arm. I could've thought of better bets than this one, but it was the only way I'd be able to have a chance at Sasuke being my escort. I trusted no one else as a dance partner, not even one of the other guys I've come to know and grow into teenagerhood with. Somehow I could confide in Sasuke anything, trust him with anything. And with the high chances of me tripping over the ball gown and high-heeled shoes I'd be forced to dress in, Sasuke can make sure I don't fall without fail.

"Now that that's settled," I began, smiling down at my feet. "I just wish there was some way you guys could come with me on this trip." I paced around the large room, littered with my mother's sewing supplies and sketches. "It'll be pretty boring to live without you guys for a whole month."

Sasuke starred at the top of my hanging pink head that seemed to camouflage with the pink dress over the mannequin.

"Sasuke?" I asked. "Is it reasonable to be scared?"

"No," he said. Ater me giving him a failed attempt at a smile, be he exhaled, taking out his hand out of his pockets and scratching the back of his head. "Maybe there is a way," he said unsure and hesitant. "That we can... go with you. All of us."

"Really?" I asked with much energy, shooting my head up and running back to Sasuke. I startled him, suddenly up front. "Please, you and the others must come. I don't think I can do this all by myself."

Sasuke looked at me with a look of frustration, mixed with doubtfulness. Of course, he cared too much for my well being, deciding to brush away his pride for the matter. "Well..."

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"You're kidding," Naruto said, closing his locker. Me, Sasuke, Kiba, Neji, and Shikamaru were present, Sasuke having just told the good news of his 'brilliant idea' to get everyone to go on this supposed trip with me.

"Your brother's seriously one of the judges?" Shikamaru asked in disbelief.

Sasuke shrugged. "Surprisingly yeah. He said that he can fly us all out with Sakura for the next contest." It turns out Itachi Uchiha's 'secret job' was that he worked as one of the judges on Shinobi Island for the modeling thing. Whether that's supposed to be a coincidencial thing, I don't know. Nor do I really care because it's on a good note for us.

"This is for free right?" Naruto asked, wanting some clarification.

I sighed from annoyance of having to repeat the same answer. "Naruto for the last time YES, it is, free."

"Just making sure that _all_ my expenses will be taken care of," he grinned.

"I don't know," Neji said unsure. "We still have school to think about it. Next month is graduation. We'll be missing out on a lot of things."

"Ah come on, Neji!" Kiba urged, trying to talk some sense into the Hyuuga. "Here, let me ask you this. What do you think is better, an overpriced senior prom? OR, a free luxury vacation to a private island with models? Hot, _girl_ models."

Neji kept his detached expression. "That's not the reason I'm agreeing to go."

"Riight," Kiba grinned victoriously with crossed arms.

"However there are still the matter of exams," Neji reminded us.

"What about that exemption rule?" Sasuke remembered.

"That only applies to a few students. Those with an average of over ninety-one on all their report cards are exempt from the finals," Neji explained to us, knowing the rulebook of the school by heart.

"Guess I'm good then," I said out of pure relief. It was a dream come true to have to not take the finals.

"But two others aren't," Neji interrupted, and at that instant all eyes darted towards Naruto and Kiba. The two boys started to sweat at the sides of their hears while my stare became a glare. We were all passing, save for these two guys.

"W-Why is everyone starin' at us like that?" Kiba stammered with a nervous expression. His finger scratched the side of his face as if a way to distract himself from the sudden inflicted pressure.

"BUT I CAN'T STAY HERE I HAVE TO GO SUPPORT SAKURA!" Naruto's loud voice roared as he grasped his head in agony.

Shikamaru scoffed. "Yeah right you just wanna go see the models."

"SHUT IT!"

With a sigh I brushed my hand through my hair, an odd habbit. "Looks like you guys will have to take the exams within the next two weeks if you wanna come."

"What?" Kiba exclaimed in reply. "I knew this was too good to be true. Small price to pay, I guess."

"What do you mean _I guess_. This is mutiny!" Naruto retorted to the teen. "You may be able to cram for these stupid finals but this is me we're talking about!"

"Well you've passed before. This shouldn't be any different," I frowned at the boy.

"And you do know that if you don't pass Rin won't let you leave school," Sasuke smirked, as if happy to be telling them that small piece of unfortunate news. Kiba's and Naruto's eyes cracked open. It was a funny sight, the look on their faces. Secretly inside I was kind of enjoying Kiba's and Naruto's agony with their failing grades.

"AAGGHHH! I HATE THE SCHOOL CURRICULUM!"


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey guys I managed to get the next chapter up, finally! My laptop caught something and I kept trying to fix it and well, yeah... still workin' on it. But I managed to come up with this at least!**

**Anyway, thank you for all the reviews I got from the first chapter. I didn't think it'd really get read at all to be honest. But now I have my motivation! HAHA!**

**But yeah. And get this, it's juts my luck that my friends entered themselves (and me without my permission) into this fashion-competition thing as of lately. Kind of ironic when I think about it, but hey, maybe I'll be able to get some of the story's inspiration out of the expeirence. In a couple days or weeks we'll be heading to New York for 'inspiration' or whatever they mean.**

**(To be honest, I haven't the slightest clue about fashion or clothes, yet here I am writing this story. Funny huh?)**

**That aside, read, review, eat dinner, all that stuff. YAAAY! XD**

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Over the next few days I did my best to try and help them study for their early exams, seeing as the others and I were passing enough to be exempt. It was troublesome, as Shikamaru said, but the matter couldn't be helped. Meanwhile I was, at the time, dreading the day at the end of these two weeks when I'd have to board that jet and fly out to who knows where. Sure it sounds exciting to get out of this place and somewhere foreign, but I wasn't exactly looking forward to everything else this 'vacation' place was offering me. I just have to remember, it's for the Leaville Schools. Yeah, I'll do that.

"Mmm." We all stood outside the classroom of Ms. Tsunade. She was the proctor of the exams that Kiba and Naruto had taken, and now they were getting their final results after all this week's time. The rest of us waited for Kiba and Naruto outside the classroom after the school bell. The hallways of Leaville High were now deserted, us having waited for nearly a half hour already. All the students by now had left to go home, so along the lines I had begun to wonder what else I could be doing right now. She was just calculating grades right? How long could that possibly take?

"What do you think they're doing in there?" I spoke up after an eternity's worth of silence.

"Whatever's going on I just hoped they passed," said Neji.

"Do you really want to hope they pass?" Sasuke remarked in question. That was a _very_ high option for the Uchiha, because if Naruto didn't pass, he couldn't go on the trip. That didn't seem like too bad news for Sasuke.

Suddenly the classroom doors slammed open, and somewhat like I was hoping, Naruto and Kiba sprang out with wide grins on their faces, as if they had just seen the devil die. "We passed our exams!" they announced proudly and in exclamation.

"Well that's what we were assuming," Shikamaru said sourly, obviously tired of waiting for so long, and only to hear them say such simple words.

"Aw come on you've gotta give us some credit. I don't see you guys workin' your butts off for some lousy exams," Naruto said.

"Either way the plane leaves tomorrow," Sasuke spoke up to everyone. "So all who are going, meet at the airport by ten o'clock. We wait for no one." Sasuke's announcement was short and to the point. Everyone knew that if they woke up late they'd be stuck at school for a whole month alone. No chance was any of us were gonna miss this.

That same night, I stayed upstairs in my bedroom. It had peach-painted walls with a cream colored door. My canopy drapes had small plastic cherry blossom petals sewn on for decoration. I was packing my black duffle bag with some spare clothes and morning supplies. It was routine, if this travel thing came up often, that I would leave packing to last minute. It didn't hurt anybody. And somehow, packing and unpacking things brought me back to reminisce things whenever I'd come across old objects that I'd deem memorable.

As I went through my drawers, I discovered a small box at the very back behind all the junk I kept in here. After brushing away a few of the things in the drawer I reached the small box. It was decorated with multiple stickers of flowers. Lifting the triangular lid I carefully placed it under the box and looked inside. I smile upon seeing its priceless contents. It was a cherry blossom choker necklace that I had received as a present. The memories flooded back to my mind as I tried to recall the day I got this very special gift.

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"AGH!" Naruto threw the ball, missing the stacked bottles set up behind the stand's counter. The town was having a street carnival that night on the same day as my seventh birthday.

Sasuke had decided not to come because he didn't enjoy large gatherings like this. Plus he told us that the game stands in the carnival were only rip offs, adults reeling children in for their money on majorly easy-looking games, only for them to constantly loose and try again due to stubbornness. My opinions differed from Sasuke's at the time, but right now I was seeing that he may have had a point.

"Man, I missed," Naruto said. "Kiba hand me another dollar."

"I'm fresh out," Kiba said lowly, holding out the insides of his pockets. A small piece of lint fell out of the left one. His puppy Akamaru whimpered, feeling his master's disappointment as if the little creature held the power of empathy.

Neji sighed from boredom. We had stood at the same stand watching each of us loose. "Let's face it guys. We can't win here."

"Yeah let's just go someplace else," Shikamaru added, not wanting to share the truth of him holding some extra allowance in his pants pocket, valuable money he knew Naruto would beg him for.

"They're right, Naruto," I said sadly, coming up behind the stubborn blond.

"But look at the prizes!" Naruto whined to me like a child crying to its mother. The reason Naruto and the others had been so determined to win was because of the top prize being a model wooden bamboo sword. Sure there were hints one of us would take it out and play swordsman with it, but it was looked upon us as a trophy of some sort, symbolizing our friendship in a way. And we had gambled nearly a month's worth allowance for us to try and strike out all of the bottles to win it. So far, no luck came to any of us.

"Naruto we're out of money. There's nothing more we can do," I said, trying to persuade him otherwise. "Come on. We can go back to my mom and try to get some ramen alright?"

Naruto frowned. "Fine."

All of a sudden Kiba's puppy began to sniff the air, as feeling a familiar presence on the carnival grounds. A certain Uchiha child. "Bark bark bark!"

"Hm?" Kiba glanced down at his friend. "What's up, Akamaru?"

We had all looked in the direction Akamaru was facing and in a distance I saw Sasuke walking up to us, his hands buried deep within his blue pockets. "Sasuke," I said in the midst of the shock of us all.

"What're you doing here? We thought you didn't like the game stands," Naruto teased.

"It was either stay with the adults or hang around you guys. What do you think," Sasuke said with his usual mean tone. Though this was only usually towards Naruto. "So, how long have you guys been playing?"

"A while," Neji answered, quite upset himself.

"We've been trying to strike out the bottles," I said depressed-sounding, pointing my arm up at the man's game stand. "The guys wanted to win the bamboo sword."

The man behind the booth smirked. "So kid, you wanna play? Only one dollar a try."

Sasuke narrowed his eyes at the deceiving man. He saw in the stranger's pockets wads of single dollars, all probably from his cheated friends. And he knew that out of all of us, I was the most upset, somehow. Much to my surprise he took out a dollar from his pocket, placing it on the counter. "One try."

"One only?" the man repeated, placing a white and red baseball in front of the kid.

"I only need one try," Sasuke said flatly, deciding to beat this man at his own game. The man stood to the side while I came up beside Sasuke. The guys watched suspenseful from where they stood, wanting to see if their leader-like friend would make the shot. I wondered the same thing. Sasuke starred at the pile of bottles in front of him. All he had to do was knock them all down with one throw. Finally after what seemed like an eternity Sasuke quickly took aim and threw the ball as quick as sound and wind. If you blinked you missed it.

CRASH

The bottles fell. All ten of them, crash crash. Onto the floor they spread of with an occasional clink. We all starred in surprise while Sauske's expression remained unchanged. "You did it," I said with a returning smile once my shock dispersed. "You actually did it, Sasuke.

"Hm, you've got guts, kid," complimented the booth man. "Take any prize you want."

"Sweet! Sasuke won us the bamboo sword!" Naruto cheered quiet loudly.

Sasuke's eyes explored the multiple shelves and hooks and cases hung behind the stand. His eyes landed on the bamboo sword he was told about, however his attention as drawn to what was under it on the red-plastic covered table. A small black woven choker with a bright pink charm in the middle resembling that of a cherry blossom. And without any hesitation Sasuke told the man his request.

"The pink flower necklace," he requested.

Naruto cried in horror, "EHHHH?"

At that moment Sasuke turned to me, offering out his hand with the choker inside his small palm. I glanced down at it. "Here."

I blinked my green eyes, starring at it as if it were an exotic treasure. "Huh?"

"YOU'RE GIVING IT TO SAKURA?" Naruto screeched, his temper rising now that his bamboo sword prize was out of his reach.

"It is her birthday, idiot," Sasuke reminded, turning his head around and not moving his offered hand that was facing my small figure.

Naruto held back the urge to punch Sasuke. His face still looked like he held a grudge, but he lowered his balled up fist down to his side, and his anger receded. "Alright."

"Well go on Sakura, take Sasuke's gift," Kiba grinned suggestively, suddenly up and behind me. Akamaru was barking in agreement from atop Kiba's brown head. "Go on. Sasuke's giving it to you. Are you gonna reject him?"

"Kiba go away," Sasuke glared with a slight blush on his cheeks.

"Ha! See! The Uchiha blushes," Kiba continues to tease, much to my further obliviousness. Despite this I smiled sweetly and took the choker from Sasuke's still stretched out hand.

"Thank you, Sasuke," I said with a cute face as a thanks. "I'll take good care of this!"

As the memory flashed through like an old picture movie, I smiled. Then I began to wonder how did this old thing ever end up in the back of my drawer, long lost and forgotten. Nonetheless I had it now, and that was what counted I figured. I considered taking it out of the box, but instead I closed the lid and went to put it inside one of my bags. "I'll bring it as a lucky charm." After zipping close my bag I sat down on my bed with an exhale, pushing some of my hair behind my ear. "Hopefully this will all run through quickly and fast."

The next morning at ten AM sharp, I began to board the private jet with my friends.

"Have fun, you guys!" Rin called to her students, waving her hands with complete enthusiasm. Her two friends and co-principals Kakashi and Obito stood beside her, seeing their high school senior students off. "Enjoy this! This will be your last adventure before college!"

"Don't you think we already know that!" Naruto shouted back with a toothy grin.

"Goodbye," Obito said less loudly, waving his hand and smiling under his goggles.

"I feel so happy they'll be out of our hair for the next month," Kakashi commented.

"Start saying that when you have to teach them," Rin said.

"What makes you think Sakura will win the competition so easily?" Obito asked the brown-haired woman. He appeared to be on the middle of teh scale between the chances of winning the much-needed money.

"It's a woman's instinct," grinned the proud woman. "Besides, Sakura has her friends to back her up."

"And that's supposed to be a good thing?" Kakashi questioned.

"You can be so cruel sometimes, Kakashi," Rin said with an embarrassed face.

"Wow..." I looked around my new enviromnet in amazement. All of us looking into the empty plane, actually. "This is all for us?"

"For as long as the flight lasts," said a deep voice,making us look to the side. And there sat a young man, long black hair with much of it tied into a pony tail behind his neck.

"And who's he supposed to be?" Shikamaru asked with an arched eyebrow.

"That's my brother," Sasuke replied, not exactly happy about the idea of introducing his brother to his long-time friends.

"Your brother!" all of us repeated. All our years of knowing Sasuke we had never met _the_ Itachi Uchiha face to face. His skin, his hair, his eyes, very much resemblance to Sasuke. It was kind of scary how much they looked alike.

"T-This is your brother?" Kiba repeated, holding his neck.

"He's kinda scary," Naruto whispered with wispy eyes. See?

"Little brother. Nice to see you again," smiled the stranger, whose sight then landed on me. It was setting off an uneasy tingle through me with his glance. "And you must be the famous Sakura Haruno I used to hear about so much from when Sasuke and I were younger. You're much more beautiful in person, you know." He went and stood up, taking my hand kissing it.

"Okay okay back of Sasuke's girl!" Kiba shouted, intervening and coming in between Itachi and me, his arms wide open like a wall. Akamaru's head popped out from Kiba's bag.

"K-Kiba," Sasuke warned, half his face in embarrassment.

"Sasuke's girl, eh?" repeated Itachi, glancing over at the younger Uchihia. "You never told me you had a girlfriend, little brother."

"S-Sasuke and I are just friends, Itachi. Really," I defended, coming out from behind Kiba.

"We didn't even take off yet and already I'm enjoying this trip," Shikamaru said with an amused look. I could always expect Shikamaru to be the first to sit and lay back.

Eventually I came to calm down enough to have a decent conversation later on after the plane took flight. All the guys had already assumed vacation-mode in their own unique ways. Sleeping, lounging, or in Kiba and Naruto's case, versing each other in hand-held gaming systems.

Sasuke and I were sitting together. With Itachi sitting right across the aisle from us, Sasuke had assumed his self-claimed seat near the window and _away_ from Itachi, leaving me as the wall, not that I minded. With every one of the other guys around us all dealing with the flight in their own way, it was only expected Sasuke had his own way, too. He had his headphones over his ears with music loud enough for me to hear at a closer distance.

At least this gave me a chance to actually have a decent talk with the older Uchiha. "So, Sasuke tells me that you're one of the judges."

Itachi nodded while the others placed our bags in the upper-head compartments. "Yes. I am. I returned to town to finish up some errands before returning to Shinobi Island."

"Shinobi Island, that's where this competition is being held?" Neji spoke up from the seat in front of us, keeping himself busy by reading a book.

"Yes. It's a really wonderful place. You'll love it when we get there."

"I see," I said, taking my seat beside Sasuke and fastening my seat belt. To my right was Itachi's seat, Sasuke sitting beside the window on my left. "Do you know how the whole thing works? I don't even know half of what I'm getting myself into."

"The rules are basic, really," Itachi began, holding his hands in front of him. All ears on the plane were listening, except that of Sasuke who tried to block out his older brother's voice. "At the island you will be competing with other girls such like yourself, and your goal is to be the last one standing."

"So there's gonna be an all-out cat fight?" asked an enthusiaized Naruto wo sat up from behind my seat, only to smacked over the head by Kiba and ducked back down.

"You dolt they don't battle!"

"It'd be cool though," Naruto muttered from behind, holding the large developing bump on the top of his head.

"Anyway," Itachi continued, returning his glance back to me. "You and all the girls will be modeling for pictures with specific challenges. You'll figure it out when the time comes."

"Pictures?" I asked with a slight frown, Sasuke managing to hear this as well. "No one told me they'd be doing photography work."

"You're modeling. What'd you expect for them to do, paint a picture?" Shikamaru spoke up from where he was laying, takng up two whole seats for himself.

"What's the matter with photography?" Itachi asked me.

"Sakura doesn't exactly like getting her picture taken," Neji informed the older Uchiha as he turned another page.

"Is that so," Itachi said. "In that case, you'll have to get over that fear if you want to progress in the competition. If you're voted out by me and two other judges, you have to leave the island."

"We're goners..." Naruto whined with anime tears. For if I had to go home, so did the guys, ending their early start to summer vacation.

"So much for this going by quickly," I said sadly, slumping in my seat.

Sasuke meanwhile looked over at me, seeing my displeased figure. "Can't be that bad," he tried to assure, speaking up for the first time in a while. "Remember our deal?" At that my head snapped up.

__

My face broke into one of distortion. "You're kidding."

"Do I look like I'm kidding?" he replied, trying to hide a look of amusement. He failed at that. "I'm serious. If you win the bet, I'll be your escort for your little party. If you loose, you'll be dancing the night away with Uzumaki."

Our bet. Sasuke's and my bet. Nothing bad if I loose. Naruto wouldn't be that bad an escort, but... I felt like I needed Sasuke instead. "You're not gonna back out are you, Sakura." Sasuke continued to taunt me. "Out of the competition I mean."

I managed to see through his eyes and I put on a determined outlook. "No way am I gonna back out and don't you forget it!"

The rest of the plane ride was alright. Not a moment of my time was consumed with boredom or regret. Sasuke remained the most quiet of us during the flight, most of the time listening to his earphones and its music. At one point during the flight I was beginning to nod off. I didn't want to fall asleep yet. For one it would be very uncomfortable, plus what if I had accidentally let my head fall on Sasuke's shoulder? He'd probably make fun of me and the others will take pictures and-

"Here," Sasuke said, my head suddenly colliding with his shoulder. Did he just use his hand to pull my head towards him, I questioned myself. He had interrupted my thoughts, causing me to wearily blink my eyes in confusion. "You should get some sleep. I hear eye bags will lower your chances of being a professional model." I tried my best to glare at him. My strength and thinking power were low at the moment. And how is _he_ not sleepy? "Everyone else is asleep. No one will notice us."

Deciding sleep was the most important thing in the world to me at the moment, I allowed my eye lids to drift downwards like feathers until my eyes were shut. Sleeping, breathing. The sound was all Sasuke could hear, since he had turned off his music player just a few dozen seconds ago. To listen to my breathing. Sasuke wasn't sure why he was doing so but it soothed him, like those healing bells and wins chimes you'd hear upon contact with a strong enough gust of wind.

"Thank you, Sasuke..." I said in a low whisper, not even sure I realized I said that. Sasuke made a half smile and adjusted himself so he could sleep as well. He leaned the side of his head on my pink hair and rested his eyes as well, inhaling the scent of my shampoo. The Uchiha was a light sleeper, so he hoped to himself that he would be the first to wake up out of everyone on the plane before anyone could see the position he and I were in.

By sunrise the following morning, the plane landed on solid ground, much to the relief of Naruto. It turns our he wasn't too keen on flying due to air sickness, which he now knows about for future reference.

"Never again will I fly on a plane," Naruto groaned from his seat, holding a paper bag. I'd say he almost had a green face comparable to that of a vegetable. "I'd rather swim all the way home than go on this thing."

"We'll see," I chukcled, Sasuke looking out the window and watching the plane glide along the cement floor.

"Welcome to Shinobi Island," Itachi announced as everyone unfastened their seat belts. Grabbing our bags from the compartments over our heads, Itachi exited the plane first.

"Well, this is it," I said, looking at Sasuke.

Kiba began to walked down the aisle towards the exit, Naruto right behind him. "Let's just hope the food here is better than what we got on the plane. I'm starved!"

"Maybe they even have a ramen bar!" Naruto cheered with a laugh, rubbing his hands together. An instant cure for his air sickness. "Ra-men, ra-men, ra-men, ra-men." Sasuke and I sweatdroppped, watching as everyone left the plane.

"Already on land and these two are already back to normal," Neji commented, referring to Naruo and Kiba as they went on about food.

"Hopefully we all don't have to sleep in the same room as each other," Shikamaru added, Sasuke and I still in the same sweatdropping positions. Once we were the last ones we looked at each other with arched eyebrows.

"Ah, you must be Sakura Haruno from Konoha City," greeted a man with long blond hair, hung over one of his eyes. "I am Deidara, one of the judges in this competition."

"Nice to meet you," I greeted politely, shaking his hand. At least he didn't kiss it like Iitachi did.

The man looked up over my head. "And Itachi, those must be your guests."

"Unfortunately," Itachi said with a half smile. We turned around, looking at my group of friends. Naruto and Kiba were fighting over what appeared to be a bag of gummies. Neji and Sasuke were in a little farther distance, listening to their mp3s, and Shikamaru was sleeping against the pile of our luggages, Akamaru growling and trying to pull his shoe off. A huge sweatdrop leaked from my head. What a great first impression I'd say.

"Uh, they're like that," I told them nervously, scratching the back of my neck.

"Haha, no matter. They seem nice, since you know them anyway," Deidara commented. "Come. Let me take you all to where you will be staying. You can meet the other contestants there. You're the last one to arrive so everyone should be here now."

"The girls!" Naruto and Kiba exclaimed, pausing from their fight. Only then did Akamaru jump inbetween the two boys and knab the plastic bag of gummies, much to their surprise.

"Other contestants...?" I said with slightly slumped shoulders. Well, the time had to come sooner or later.

"Don't be so nervous," Itachi spoke, walking by me. "If it helps, this will be my first time meeting the other contestants, too."

"Like that matters. You're a judge."

Meanwhile Sasuke stayed in his same position, standing with crossed arm, earphones plugged into his ears at a high volume to keep the smoke from coming out of his head as he watched his best friend converse with his older brother. How dare he! He had only hoped he wasn't trying to make a move on her. Would Itachi really do that?

"Yo Sasuke! Get your bag already!" Neji's voice called, making Sasuke's black orbs finally turn away from the two up ahead, only to see his friends trying to get their bags out of the pile. Neji threw a black duffle at Sasuke and he caught it with ease, but only because the raven-haired teen had much on his mind at the moment.

As Itachi and Deidara led us down a path, the others and I following shorlty behind, I was able to actually take in my surroundings. No tall buildings, no cars, no cement roads, no loud horns, fresh air without any smoke remains. It just felt so natural here it was heavenly.

"This island is so amazing, don't you think, Sasuke?"

"I guess," he replied, making me turn my head. The boy still had his ear phones in for cryin' out loud.

"Come on dude I'm sure you can come up with a better reply than that," I smiled, pulling one of them out. "I mean just think of all the kinds of stuff we could do here that we couldn't back home! I've always wanted to come to a place like this ever since I was a kid." I smiled, folding my arms behind my head. "We can climb trees and roofs, we can walk around without having to worry about suspicious people. Maybe this whole modeling think has its perks, afterall."

As I went on about how great he island was, Sasuke smiled a little, watching me at the corner of his eyes. He had never seen me this happy before, at least not in a while, what with school and all. Senior year in high school can be pretty time consuming. And with college coming up, this really could be our last adventure together. So I figured taht it was up to me to make sure all of us had a great-worth time together.

"And here we are," Deidara announced as our hike came to a stop. In front of us all stood a tall building that looked almost like a hotel, but more island-like. It had that huge Japanese cloth sign that said 'WELCOME' and the doors were replaced with this curtains.

"Wow," Shikamaru said, actually impressed. "We're really staying here."

"Correction," Itachi interjected with some amusement in his voice. "You're not staying with the girls. That'd be highly inappropriate."

"Huh?" Kiba and Naruto said with open mouths of disappointment

"So where do you expect us to stay?" Sasuke asked his older brother with an unredeeming look.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

"You've got to be kidding me," Sasuke said with an annoyed face. He and his guy friends were in the basement boiler room of the building, where there was only one bunk bed and a few sleeping bags. A small basement window was located at the top of the room on the left. It was very resembling to a prison.

"And we have to sleep here for a month," Neji added. "I suppose it can't get any worse than this."

"Whatever. I call the bottom bunk," Shikamaru said, walking forward.

"Hey that's no fair!" Kiba and Naruto shouted in unison, only for Shikamaru to turn around with a dreadful look in his eyes as if knives and daggers were about to shoot. Kiba and Naruto then went onto their toes, suddenly loosing their self-esteem to fend for their rights to sleep in a decent bed.

"I hope Sakura's doing much better than we are at the moment," Sasuke sighed, looking up at his ceiling.

I was walking down the hallways. The color of the walls much differed from houses back in Konoha City. Everything was so vibrant and happy here, compared to the dull white and gray colorings on my walls. I soon stopped in front of a door, the dorm where Deidara told me I'd be staying. Makes me wonder where Itachi led the guys. Taking out my card I scanned it at the doorknob and the small light turned green, granting me access into the room.. My two feet took me in hesitantly.

Three beds were present, one occupied by a brown-haired girl tied into two buns at the side of her head. She wore large green and black headphones covering her ears, however she managed to notice my entrance into the room. "Oh, you must be my roommate," she said, taking her headphones down to her neck.

"Sorry if I was intterupting you."

"Nah, I didn't expect to get my own dorm room when I saw three beds in here." She came over and started helping me with my bag. "But I think it's only the two of us though."

"Ah, so one extra bed."

"Hey, you're not snotty or conceited," the girl laughed, making me smile and join in the short laughter as well. "I'm Tenten, by the way."

"I'm Sakura," I introduced. How lucky am I to be able to have an actual nice roomate. You'd think that in these kinds of things the other girls would be complete jerks. "You're not so bad yourself."

"Thanks," she smiled as I lunged my bag onto a made-up bed. "So where ya from?"

"Konoha City in Japan," I told her. "It's not to far from here."

"Japan eh? Well isn't everyone from there. Must be pretty nice there then. An old friend of mine lives over from where you are, I think," Tenten told as I listened to her. "I'm from Hong-Kong."

"That's in China, right?" I smiled. "How is it there?"

"It's pretty neat, I guess. I can't wait to go home and tell everyone about my experience here," Tenten said with a grin. Okay, she is officially the best roommate I could ever ask for on this island. "But besides that, you're the last one to get here out of all the contestants. What took you so long?"

"Oh, heh. Sorry if I kept anyone waiting. There were exams at school."

"Ah, you had exams?"

"No, my friends," I answered. "If they wanted to come, I had to wait for them to take their exams. The others and I were exempt."

"Friends...?" she repeated.

"Yeah, my friend's brother happens to be Itachi, so I was able to bring my friends along."

"No joke? Man, I wish I had friends related to the judges. Just watch they'll favorite you in a second."

"Nah, I don't think they'll be like that. They're professionals, aren't they?" I mean, what professional judge lets connections interfere with decisions? Then again, what did I know?


	3. Chapter 3

**Ookayyy, remember what I said about my computer having a fritz-problem with my saving documents thing? Okay, I just looked up my recently published chapter and realized the first portion of the chapter was cut off somehow... yeah I feel like a mess-up kinda girl now.**

**I really wish I had a better way to apoligize. **

**Anyway, instead of trying to re-edit the entire new chapter into one, I'll just put this in it's own and switch the two's order. Again, SUPER sorry if that did not just make sense. I just read it over and I'm still confused. **

**Okay, point blank, this portion down here goes right after chapter 2. There! I called it! I am tired and I am going to go to sleep and I am going to wake up at 4 in the morning to finish my homework and I am proud!**

... Yeah, again, sorry guys -

* * *

_As in Chapter 2..._

"Yeah, my friend's brother happens to be Itachi, so I was able to bring my friends along."

Tenten seemed surprised. "No joke? Man, I wish I had friends related to the judges. Just watch they'll favorite you in a second."

"Nah, I don't think they'll be like that. They're professionals, aren't they?" I mean, what professional judge lets connections interfere with decisions? Then again, what did I know?

x-x-x-x-x

After a while all the girls were called down to the main room of the place by the judges. Tenten and I had bonded over the short time-span we had of unpacking my belongings. Down from our favorite colors to our troublesome school work. However I had much doubt that the other girls present in the building would be as nice and down-to earth as I'd hope for.

"Welcome everyone," announced Deidara. The guys were off to the side by the walls, so at least they were present. On the couches and arm chairs were a couple other girls. Of course each one beautiful looking, bearing slim figures and long hair to boot. It mme wonder if I should've taken the past three years of my life to grow my hair out again. "I am Deidara, the head photographer of the Shinobi Island Modeling Competition. And these are the fellow judges that you will encounter throughout your stay."

"I am Itachi," introduced the black haired man. Of course I had already met him.

"And- hey where the hell's Tobi?" Deidara muttered, looking in all direction, only for us all to hear a sound from the ceiling, as if from the vents. My suspicions were confirmed when the vent broke and a human figure fell on top of Deidara, almost in a comedic fashion. Me as well as various others held in our laughs while Naruto held nothing back in laughing out loud in front of everyone.

"Sorry I was late," apoligized the man Tobi. The most noticeable thing about this man was his orange mask, similar to that of Kakashi's back home, except this guy's mask covered his entire face, save for the small hole on the right side. "Hello, my name is Tobi, the second judge in the Shinobi Island Modeling Competition!"

"Dammit Tobi I'm going to kill you later!" threatend Deidara with a blue vein visible on his forehead.

"You always tell me that but you never really do."

"Seriously?" said Tenten with a sweatdrop. Kinda hard to take this whole thing seriously with judges like these. Deidara's a temperamental, Tobi's a child, and Itachi's... Sasuke's brother.

"And I am the third judge, Sasori," announced the red-haired man, walking into the room, a much more calmer entrance compared to Tobi's. "Interesting group this year."

"And these guys are...?" asked the red-head girl, looking flirtatiously towards my friends by the wall. I made a short-handed glance towards her. I knew from this moment that she'd be the first girl I'll judge badly. It's girls like her I expected to meet here, so I guess I shouldn't be too surprised.

"These will be my guests," Itachi spoke up as he extended his arm towrads the boys. "Don't worry. They won't get in your way."

"I wouldn't think so," said the same girl, adjusting her glasses in a flirtatious way as she kept her stare at the guys. When I followed her eye-gaze I noticed she was looking at Sasuke, which only annoyed me to a further extent. But as to be expected Sasuke paid no attention to her.

"Anyway," Deidara continued after standing up from Tobi's crash. "There are eight lovely ladies in the room, each competing to win this islands first ever female modeling contest. And you are, Sakura Haruno, Hinata Hyuuga, Matsuri Wynd, Ino Yamanaka, Tenten Li, Tayuya Files, Kin Tsuchi, and Karin Taka. Rules are easy to comply. Throughout the following month you eight ladies will be partaking in a few challenges, and if the matter calls for such then one of you may be sent home by the decision of my fellow judges and I. The winner will be the last one standing at the end of the competition. Understood?"

"Yes," replied all girls in unison, including I.

"Very good," nodded Deidara. "I'll leave you all today and we shall begin tomorrow the first challenge. Good luck to you all." The blond man began to leave, only for the orange-masked man to run after, his long sleeves trailing shortly behind him, flying in the air.

"What a strange group of judges," Tenten remarked once again, her hands on her hips. Everything she did looked like model-material. Made me feel I didn't belong here.

"It can't be that bad," I said with a confident sideways smile. "Anyway, we've got a whole day. What do you wanna do?"

I noticed Tenten look over at my friends for a brief second before turning around. "I'm gonna go back to the room, catch up on some Z's. Gotta get over my jetlag one way or another," she told me.

"Um, alright Tenten?" I blinked as she disappeared down the halls. "Doesn't this place and China have the same time zones...?"

"Sakura!" called Naruto as he and the others came over to me. "How lucky are you? You better not flunk out the first few days."

"I'll try not to," I said with an exasperated face, pushing Naruto away.

"Not to be rude but some of the girls are just as dumb as the ones back home," Shikamaru complained, remembering two red-heads trying to flirt with them previously during Deidra's explanation.

"Plus you have some competition," Sasuke said, watching the last group of girls walk away. "No offence Sakura but compared to you, they're all kinda hot." What?

"Wrong move, little brother," Itachi muttered with an amused smirk, holding Sasuke's shoulder.

"You know what, I'm just gonna pretend I didn't even hear you say that," I smiled sternly, poking Sasuke in the chest. "By the way, where're you guys staying?"

"In the stupid cramped-up basement," Kiba answered sourly with crossed arms. "What a rip-off."

I couldn't help but laugh at that. "Meanwhile from what I see, it's still daylight out. I'm gonna do some exploring."

"Exploring?" Naruto repeated. "Sakura what are you, four?"

"What? I'm curious," I told them, nearing the door. "I'll only be a while. I'll be back before dark!"

And just like that I was gone. Neji let out a breath, taking a seat on one of the couches. "Why can't I help but think her going out is a bad idea?"

"Becuase it's Sakura, what else?" Sasuke scoffed, still starring at the door.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

As I walked along the various dirt paths of Shinobi Island, I realized more of the natural beauty of the place. Walking so silently often made me daze into a day dream. This time, it made me wonder what it would've been like growing up here with Sasuke and everyone. We would've spent every day outside. We'd make up games, play sports, go exploring and map-making. Perhaps if I could do my life alll over again, I'd beg my parents for us to vacation here each year with everyone. Although, all things must come to an end.

"Now where am I?" I spoke to myself, making another turn on the incredibly long forest path. I didn't realize how long this route was into the forest. The area was serene yes, but it didn't comfort me very much with the possibility I might've traveled a bit too far. My stomach began to grumble, too. My pale hand went to grasp my stomach. "Man, now I'm hungry." It has occurred to me that I might have been able to bring food with me from the big red building everyone was staying at. Perhaps I could find another one of those places? Who as I kidding? There's not supposed to be anyone else on the island.

A strange wind began to blow, making me hold the sides of my light pink hair t prevent it from going into my eyes, but opening them, I saw a huge mansion in a distance. It could be a mirage, like those people get from traveling in the desert. It was getting dark, though. What harm could it do? If nothing else is on the island, then nothing can hurt me here. "Just go inside to rest and find food, Sakura," I told myself, pulling my body together and running up the last bit of distance between the mansion and I. For an abandoned area the place sure looked well taken care off.

Feeling the last bit of sunlight from the sun set, I knocked on the door one more time. No door bell was present from what I saw. "No one's home?" Pulling at the door knob I then pushed it open, realizing it was unlocked. Whether that was good or bad I didn't really care. I went inside, closing the door behind me.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Sasuke looked at his watch, still in the main room of the Hokage building. Ever since my departure Sasuke has waited. Three hours had it been since the time I left, and he had begun to take in suspicion, more or less worry.

"Hey Sasuke," said Naruto, walking into the room with a plate of heated filling buns. "You missed dinner! They served some awesome food, you know."

"I'm not hungry." Sasuke put on his head phones to block out the blond's voice.

Naruto took a seat on the ground near where Sasuke was standing. "Well she shouldn't be taking this long. She said she'd only be a little while." Sasuke didn't reply, pretending not to hear. A grin took upon Naruto's face as he glanced upwards. "Ahh, I see! Sasuke's waiting for Sakura, isn't he. No wonder you haven't left the lobby since Sakura went out. You like her, ne?"

"Stop speaking nonsence, moron."

Naruto sighed, noticing Sasuke's current stubbornness to not listen to him. "Anyway, anything from Sakura?"

"What does it look like," Sasuke said with a certain tone that told people 'Don't bother me'.

Naruto of course was one of those people that didn't see that. "Maybe we should go tell Itachi or someone to go look for her. Sakura's probably hungry by now," he said, looking down at the plate of food he was currently holding.

"I'll go look for her," he told, making Naruto look back up. At the thought of Itachi looking for Sakura and finding her, saving her, made Sasuke puke up inside. "I'll be right back."

Naruto smiled. "Hey wait!" Sasuke turned around from the door, seeing Naruto holding the paper plate of buns to him. "Take these. Sakura's gonna be really happy you came if you give her these."

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

"Hello?" I asked as my green eyes looked around the main room. It was rather large-sized, but it was a mansion, so I guess it was to be expected. A fancy chandelier hung from the high high ceiling, but its candles remained unlit. "Is anyone here?" I called out, consumed with mystery and confusion.

"In the kitchen," said a calm, soothing voice, like a ghost or a spirit would use. Though what do I know about what ghosts sound like? I remember as a child asking Sasuke what a ghost sounded like because I got scared when going into a haunted house with everyone.

Deciding to follow the voice I went inside. It was then that I noticed that room had the lights on. How'd I miss that? "Um, hello?" I asked, peeking my head inside. It was a kitchen, and a big one at that. There was a small table covered in a white lace covering. Three wooden chairs with soft cushions surrounded the small table, and upon one of them sat a woman. She looked pretty to me. Short purple hair with piercing orange eyes. Not what you'd see exactly as a magazine model but she looked beautiful, much more than I ever will.

She folded a piece of paper before looking to see me. Her gaze sent shiveres down my cold spine. "Well I sure have never seen you around here before," she told. The tone of her voice had a mysterious air to it. "May I have your name?" she asked.

I starred at her first with curiosity and confusion before I could manage to bring out any word. "I'm Sakura."

"Sakura," she repeated quietly, folding the same piece of paper and continuing. "That's a pretty name. Come, sit."

Gathering the nerve in me I walked in fully, taking careful steps towards the table I sat down across from the purple-haired woman. I was quiet for a short moment before talking again. "Can I have your name?" I asked in responce.

The woman smiled at her paper folding. "You can call me, Konan."

"Konan..." I repeated, starring at her origami. "The judges never said anything about you."

"The judges, you say?" she said, pausing her hands. "You must be a model, then."

"Not exactly," I said with a nervous laugh. "I'm new at all this."

"No wonder. You don't exactly have the outbursting confidence a real model would have," Konan commented, causing me to look down at my hands, folded on my lap. Noticing the reaction she started up another question. "Where you from, Sakura?"

"Over at Konoha City."

"Ah, a city girl then," she added with a slight nod. "You don't seem like the city girl type, though."

"What do you mean?"

"I know your kind," she continued, making a sideways fold. "It's been a while since I've seen someone like you. Tell me Sakura, what is the reason you're here on this island, if you're not a model?"

"It's... it's to help my school, I guess." I continued watching her fold and flip the light orange colored paper. "The winner of the modeling competition wins the prize money. I need it to keep my school open."

She smiled at me. "That's a good way to motivate yourself. Every model needs their motivation, and yours seems like a pretty reasonable one."

"If you don't mind my asking, what are you doing here?" I asked her. "I mean, there's gotta be some reason. Do you live here?"

"I live in this house," she answered me, picking up her orange bird. "I've lived here all my life. It's been a while since I've had company."

"I can't imagine why. You're real nice."

"Thank you, Sakura," smiled Konan. She stood up, walking over to the counter. A basket of fruit hung from the ceiling on light rope. And next to the hanging woven fruit basket was a hanging bird cage. It was holden and empty. Konan opened the latch and placed the orange origami bird inside on the tiny swing. "You're a good kid, Sakura. You should stop by when you can. If you ever need tips for this competition, I can always give you some headers."

Realizing her genuine politeness, a slow smile began to form on my face. "Thank you, Konan."

"Just so you know, there's a lot more to modeling that just looking pretty." She shut the latch gently on the bird cage. "You may not know what it is now, and I'm not telling you, either. Although, when you do find out, be sure to let me know what you found out, okay?"

After a short goodbye I found myself leaving the mansion back outside. A small smile was present on my face the entire time I left. However by the time I left property, I stopped in my tracks with widened eyes. I just realized, I was still hungry, and I didn't even ask Konan for food. I mentally scolded myself for that.

"Argh, how do I forget that?"

My stomach grumbled, only making me sigh and hang my head. "Sakura?" called Sasuke's voice, making my head shoot up. As if it were another hallucination I saw a figure of Sasuke. He held a face of confusion. An arched eyebrow and not a smile in sight. "What are you doing out here?"

"I-I, b-but you," I looked at his arm, seeing him holding a bento box. "I-Is that food...?"

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Sasuke and I sat under a tree in a clearing in the forest. It was night fall now. Inside the bento were two red-bean filled buns, which according to Sasuke were from Naruto.

"Red bean filling," I grinned with stary eyes. "Thank you, Naruto!"

Sasuke chuckled as he watched me dig into one of the two buns from the bento box. "You seem hungry."

"I'm starving! After all this walking you'd expect I'd be more than hungry," I ranted after I swallowed.

He chuckled. "How are you gonna be a model if you're keep to eat sweets."

I made a look at him. "What's wrong with eating sweets?"

"Nothing, nothing," Sasuke said, his back against the tree bark with his hands up in his own defence. "It's just that I figured you models would be on some kind of pre-diet or whatever girls do."

"Sasuke you and I both know I will _never_ diet from sweets," I assured. "You don't eat sweets. You see me accusing you of being on a model's diet?"

"Well I-"

"Just shut up and eat," I said, holding the other food bun up to his face with my other hand. "I know you didn't eat dinner yet, so you've gotta eat something."

"I don't eat anything sweet," Sasuke said to me, pushing my hand away. "Besides, you're hungry, too, aren't you?"

"Yeah but I'm not gonna hog all the food knowing my best friend might starve," I argued with a sly smile. "Just eat it, will ya? If you faint on the way back to the Hokage Building I'm not carrying you on my back."

Giving me one last look the stubborn Uchiha took the red bean bun from my hand and looked at it. He bit into it, making me smile and continue to eat mine. While we enjoyed the peaceful silence this made me think of my childhood. We would've done stuff like this every day if we had a big tree back in Konoha City. The closest thing we had to a huge piece of nature back home was that old wide stump in front of Konoha High.

"So Sasuke," I began, swallowing another bite. "What made you come out to look for me anyway?"

"Well I don't know about you but I find it natural for a person to look for another person who's been missing for half the day."

"I was not missing."

"You were gone for nearly five hours."

"Really five hours?" I paused. "Time flies when you're out here."

"I'll say," said Itachi's voice, making Sasuke and I jump, along with me almost choking on my part of my red bean bun. Turning around I saw Itachi standing behind the tree, as if he was all ways there.

"I-Itachi?" Sasuke exclaimed, eyes widening. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"Following you," Itachi replied with that everlasting smirk. "Just wanted to make sure you didn't get lost yourself looking for your friend here."

"Yeah right!" shouted Sasuke, ready to punch Itachi for interrupting us.

Seeing the two Uchihas neck to neck I ran in between in the two with arms stretched out. "Heyy! Heyy! No need to fight guys. Let's just all get back to the Hokage Building. It's already night and everyone might be wondering where we are."

"Fine," they both answered, thought in different tones. Sasuke in an annoyed upset tone, and Itachi in an, amused tone? I can't tell. I've never met such a confusing person as Itachi before. And to think he's related to Sasuke.

I was in my dorm room, midnight. Tenten was asleep in her bed, and I assumed everyone else in the building was asleep as well. I, being a normal teenager, had the essence of staying up late, no matter how hard I tried to get to sleep. And so here I was on my laptop, typing up a word file.

__

Digital Journal of Sakura Haruno.

It's Day One here at Shinobi Island and already I have more surprises than I expected. The good points are that at least I have a decent roommate I can get along with. I still didn't meet the other girls yet. And there's already one I don't like. The one with bright red hair. Oh well. Who am I to judge? Then there's that mysterious lady in the forest. Whoever she is, she's really good at origami. And she's really beautiful, too. Either way it was a good thing Sasuke found me before I could wander around more through that crazy forest. And thank heavens he had food!

I yawned and check the digital clock at the bottom of the screen. 12:18.

__

Past midnight already. Better call it a night. I'll update here tomorrow if anything worthwhile happens. Sweet dreams Sasuke, Naruto, Kiba, Neji, Shikamaru.

Smiling I shut my labtop at placed it at my bedside. I laid down in my bed and pulled the warm covers up over my shoulders.


	4. Chapter 4

**Hi guys! Here's Chapter 3 for ya!**

**So yeah, the first part of the competition will be taking place in, uh, well you'll find out when you read.**  
**Aside from that, sorry for any spelling or gramical errors. When my computer saves the document for the final thing, everything kind of gets frizzy sometimes no matter how many times I fix it. I think I finally got it down so, here's my best!**

**Anyway, hope this chapter isn't too dragging for you guys. And if you have any questitons about the story feel free to ask ^^**  
**Later!**

* * *

RING. RING. RING

"AHHH!" A crash emitted from both Tenten and I. The second our alarm clock went off, its extremely loud volume took us by storm and it definitely woke us up for the morning. Once I had gathered myself, I threw my pillow at the cursed alarm clock, finally shutting off its annoying ring.

"I hate waking up early," Tenten groaned wearily as she and I walked down the spiral halls of the building.

"I get the idea. I thought the alarm clock thing was left behind with my school schedule," I added, wearing the same tired facial expression as my roommate. Arriving at the bottom floor and into the kitchen, we found three other girls preparing bowls of cereal, or in other words, breakfast.

"Look who's up," said the long-haired blond, holding the carton of milk. She had wide blue eyes and a charming smile to match. "Alarm clock get you guys, too?"

"Mm-hm," I nodded as Tenten's head started to tilt sideways, dozing off.

"Come on, we could all use some breakfast," said the long haired pale-eyed girl as she came up to us with two glass bowls.

"Thanks," Tenten and I said in gratefulness.

"My name's Sakura," I introduced with a pleasant smile, no longer feeling the urge to doze off.

"And I'm Tenten," the brunette grinned as she grabbed a spoon from a neaby dish-drier.

"I'm Ino," said the blond from the table. "This here is Matsuri."

"Hi," said the brown-haired girl. She was somewhat shorter, and she was shyer too.

"And that's Hinata," Ino added, Hinata making a small cute smile with her eyes closed.

"Nice to meet you guys," I laughed.

"We three dorm together, so that's why we're down here," told Hinata as we all took a seat at the wide circular dining table. As everyone conversed with each other, save for the occasional shy Matsuri girl, I noticed the pale eyes of Hinata. They looked vaguely familiar, along with the last name Hyuuga. That's familiar, too. The image of Neji appeared in my mind, and then all the guys came into memory.

"Uh, I'll be right back," I told, standing up as my cereal was left in my bowl, untouched.

"Where ya goin'?" asked Tenten as I walked towards the door.

I stopped in my tracks, turning around. "I uh, gotta go, bring my friends breakfast." After takng an orange from the counter, with a nervous laugh I darted out of the kitchen with an imaginary trail of smoke, the girls then exchanging confused looks with one another.

Carefully going down the flight of stairs I arrived at the basement. Seeing the relatively small room I noticed the guys' sleeping positions. There were a series of sleeping bags, as well as one bunk bed. On the occupied bottom bunk was Shikamaru, whose pillow had fallen off the bed. On the top bunk was Naruto. Figures he'd want the top bunk of a bunk bed. Just watch when he wakes up and hits his head on the ceiling. Everyone else was on the floor with a sleeping bag, them being Kiba, Akamaru, Sasuke, and Neji.

I love this part. "Hey guys, get up!" I shouted, my voice alarming everyone in the room into reality. Then just like I predicted, Naruto shot up like a toy in a box and hit his head.

"Argh, my head..." groaned Naruto.

"What's going on?" said Kiba first.

I smiled. "Wake up call," I replied, tossing the orange in my hand up and down like a baseball.

"Geez Sakura you're even worse than my alarm clock back home," Sasuke remarked, rubbing his head.

His comment gave me an anime vein and I suddenly had the urge to throw the orange at Sasuke. However when I turned to look at him I noticed he was shirtless, making me freeze somewhat. I didn't change my facial expression, nor did I throw the citrus fruit. Instead I opened my mouth to speak. "You know what, forget I even walked in. Just, get ready and meet me in the main room," I said, shaking my head and walking out of the room, my face bright red, though the guys didn't notice.

"What's her deal?" said an oblivious Sasuke, his well-toned abbs showing off from the upper half of the fallen sleeping bag.

"Hello you're half naked. She's a girl. What do you expect?" Shikamaru explained as if having read it form the dictionary.

"Sakura's not like that," scoffed Sasuke, getting up to get ready for the day, and to call first dibs on the only bathroom they had.

"Maybe, but you're her friend," Kiba shrugged, getting a kick out of that previous scene with my blushing. That was a moment he'd never let me live down. "Hey, maybe you should just forget about putting on a shirt and just get out there. I'm sure those girls would love to see you like that."

"You're sick, man," Sasuke said lastly before going into the bathroom.

It was then Naruto realized that one factor. "HEY HE WENT INTO THE BATHROOM BEFORE I DID!"

I was walking down the hallways, thinking deeply to myself. Shirtless Sasuke equals me blushing? It's like saying lava plus water equals cotton candy. Makes no sense at all. I took in deep breaths at an attempt to forget about that last scene. As of right now, I had to focus on my modeling right now if I wanted to save the school.

Man I never thought I'd say that.

While I was walking down the hallways I felt the footsteps of another person. I heard them, too. As I narrowed my eyes forward I noticed the red-head walking this way as well. Now that I had a better look of her, I realized her red hair was long on one side and short on the other. Her glasses completed her...unique look. Our walking figures neared each other but we kept our sights forward. When we passed each other I heard her mutter something.

"_Stay away from my Sasuke_."

At that moment I stopped and turned around, however she just continued to walk as if nothing had happened. She said that, I know it. Then I made a face. "I knew I didn't like her."

Arriving back in the main room, I found all the girls sitting around and lounging, talking. "Sakura, there you are!" Tenten shouted in a call, waving me over.

"So Sakura, we hear that those cute guys are your traveling companions, am I right?" grinned Ino in a teasing manner.

Did she just say cute? "Um... I suppose traveling companions suits the situation."

"It must be great having friends like them," Matsuri spoke up. Her voice was really nice - this being the first time I heard it.

"I guess it is," I smiled, taking a seat on the couch. "I don't really have any girl friends back in my home town, so I'm kind of stuck with them most of the time."

"Wow! It's like having multiple boy friends!" squealed Ino with a dreamish look on her face.

My eyebrow rose slightly at her reaction. No offence Ino, you kind f make Naruto look like... a smart person. "Never heard that one before."

"Oh come on, Sakura," Tenten said, sitting next to me suddenly with her with arm slung around my shoulders. "We're all girls here, and you as the single girl in a huge group of boys like them, it's got to have its privileges."

"Like seeing them shirtless!" Ino squealed. Okay...

A blushing color appeared on my cheeks, remembering when I went to wake up the guys. Hinata, noticing my uncomfortable demeanor, tried to defend me. "Ino I don't think Sakura's that kind of girl."

"OH nonsense Hinata _all _girls get like that about a shirtless hot guy," Ino said like a lecture. Suddenly we heard a crash and we all turned around, seeing Naruto and Kiba run through the main room and out another exit.

"I got his shirt and pants!" Kiba shouted victoriously, running with a grin.

"I got his boxers!" Naruto added with a mischievous laugh. He saw me with the group of girls and grinned, running over to me on the way. "Here Sakura hold these," said Naruto, dropping the pair of boxers in my hands before running off with Kiba. I made an etched face as I held the boxers an inch away from me.

"Naruto Kiba get back here with my clothes!" Sasuke shouted running into the room with a white towel around his waist. His hair was dripping wet from a shower and his moist body glistened in the room lighting. The teen stopped running midway when he realised who else was present in the room. Life HATES me today doesn't it.

I tried to maintain my calm position, but that was at the moment a very difficult task. "Told ya it has its privileges," Ino grinned as I blushed, using my pink bangs to try and cover my face, though they only covered my eyes to block my sight of the again shirtless Sasuke - and this time with only a towel.

"Uh," blinked Sasuke. "Did you guys see where two other guys ran?"

"That way," all the girls replied happily, pointing their arms to the right.

"And here, you might want these back," I added, holding the boxers out to him as I knelt over the couch. Sasuke made a face and instantly thought of a certain blond idiot.

"Naruto," he muttered under his breath, walking over to me and snatching his boxers back. I could sense his temper boiling already, but that was the least of my problems. The girls behind me giggled while I tried to keep my gaze downwards behind the couch. Meanwhile I saw Sasuke's toes and some water droplets from his hair and body.

Tenten, coming up with a just as mischievous scheme, smirked and pushed my back with a fake 'oops'. The slight push made me topple over the back side of the couch and onto Sasuke, ending with us falling on each other on the floor. The girls leaned over the large couch to see the outcome of the fall. Neji and Shikamaru had also arrived at one of the doors, hearing the crash. Meanwhile Kiba and Naruto's head stuck out from the room they had just run into for hiding. The brunette snickered.

"Man, this turned out better than I thought," Kiba laughed quietly.

"That's what he gets for getting the bathroom first," Naruto smirked, high fiving Kiba.

"Agh..." Opening my eyes, they were dreary at first until they widened. I was laying on top of the just barely naked Sasuke, feeling the hard abbs I never even knew existed underneith me.

Sasuke too recovered from the crash and noticed our position, blushing at the sight. "S-Sakura...?"

Immediately I got off him, my shirt a little wet from being on top of him. "Sasuke I'm so sorry it was an accident I swear!"

"Sakura calm down it's okay," Sasuke said cooly, trying to shake off that previous awkward feeling with a monotone upfront.

"He's okay with it because he liked it," Naruto whispered, making him and Kiba laugh.

Sasuke heard the familiar voice and turned around. Now there's hell to pay, as everyone could see. "Get back here!" barked Sasuke, standing up and running after the two who caused this entire mess. After the Uchiha left, I was left sitting on the floor, paralyzed from what just happened. My left eye twitched and my fingers fidgeted every now and then.

"Sakura?" Matsuri spoke up, leaning over the back of the couch. "Are you okay?"

"N-Never again..." I stammered.

"Aw she's red!" Ino said with a smile and her hands on the sides of her face.

"OF COURSE I'M RED I JUST FELL ON TOP OF MY NAKED BEST FRIEND!"

Neji sighed while Shikamaru leaned against the wall. "It was only a matter of time until something like this were to happen," stated Neji.

"How troublesome," Shikamaru added, not very enthusiastic abut this morning's events. "Though on a one-sided brighter side, I'm not bored anymore."

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

"Good news everyone!" Deidara announced, everyone called into the main room an hour later.

"Are we getting our first challenge?" Ino asked anxiously.

"In due time, Ino," answered Deidara. "I merely thought you would all like a simple field trip first." With that announced, everyone began to talk to each other in excitement. However I remained silent, sitting on the couch in solitary. I then felt Sasuke come up behind me for friendly company. "How would you guys like to go to the beach?"

My head jumped. "The beach?"

"The beach?" all the girls repeated.

"The beach!" Naruto cheered, jumping into the air.

"The swim suits!" Kiba smirked suggestively, picturing all of the girls present in their bikinis.

An aggravated look came upon my face. "You're so gross, Kiba."

"Can ya blame me?"

"Why are they taking us to the beach?" Neji questioned with crossed arms.

"What do you mean, Neji?" I asked him. "He said it's just a field trip."

Neji kept his motionless gaze. "I've seen these kind of guys before, these judges. They like to keep hidden meanings in these kinds of things."

"English, Einstein," Sasuke said, feeling confused himself.

"Just be careful is all I'm saying."

"Neji you're worrying too much," I smiled with a laugh, turning around in the couch seat so I could face him and Sasuke behind. "Come on it's the _beach_. Let's just enjoy this. We are on vacation, aren't we? I mean look at Naruto and Kiba."

The three of us looked to the right and we saw Naruto and Kiba dancing in circles around a clearly pissed off Shikamaru. "We're going to the beach~ We're going to the beach~ We're going to the beach~!"

"Poor Shikamaru," Sasuke chuckled, seeing the sight.

"I guess," replied the Hyuuga with a forming smile. I smiled again too, but in my sideways glance I saw Hinata starring in our direction. When she caught me looking she blushed and turned away quickly. This made me think back to breakfast. "Hey Neji, can I ask you something?" I spoke up. Sasuke and Neji both glanced at me. "Do you know anyone named Hinata Hyuuga?"

"Isn't she one of the girls here?" asked Sasuke.

"And frankly no, I don't," Neji replied to my question. "Sounds familiar but that's all I can say."

"Oh. Sorry, then. I was wondering since you guys have the same last name, and your eyes look alike, too."

"Our eyes?" Neji repeated. With complete discretion he three of us glanced over at the Hinata girl sitting in a distance, conversing with the other girls. From this sitting, she had a strange innocent elegance I hadn't noticed before. Her gentile smile was enough to grab the attention of any modeling agency, and now, she was one of my newest friends... I think.

"Wow, they do have the same eyes," said Sasuke in astonishment. It wasn't often you could catch Sasuke off guard with anything. "And that's saying something since, well, no one really _has _the same eyes as you, Neji."

"Except those in my family," the boy pointed out, narrowing his eyes suspiciously at Hinata.

"Maybe you're related or something," I figured. No matter. It's not that big a problem. All I had to worry about now, was having the best time of my life at the beach... It souonded a lot ore enthusiastic in my head.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

"So can you come, Konan?" I asked with a bright smile, standing in her kitchen. The mansion's interior was once again dark except for the kitchen, being the only room in the house that had its lights on. Then not much to my surprise Konan was once again folding origami.

"The beach huh?" she repeated. A small orange paper flower was in the process of being made on the table. "I haven't been to a beach since I was a little kid with my friends."

"So you'll come?"

Instead she offered another one of her gentle smiles. "Thanks for your offer, Sakura, but I don't think I can. I have to stay here and keep watch of the mansion."

"Oh. That's too bad."

She made a smile at an attempt to try and cheer me up. "But do come by again and tell me about your trip to the beach. I'd love to hear about your experiences there."

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

"Road trip road trip road rip!" Naruto and Kiba cheered as the large bus travelled across the island. It was like one of those giant tour buses that rock stars traveled in. I was surprised at how much people this thing carried, and all on organic fuel too... Weird, but I'm not complaining. Who complains about organic fuel?

__

Digital Journal of Sakura Haruno

It's Day Three now. Yesterday the judges announced we'd be going to the beach, and here we are now, all cramped on a giant purple bus. It's only a matter of time until we arrive there.

I smiled, seeing everyone enjoying themselves. I was currently sitting in one of those sliding seats with the table so that I could type. "Still on your laptop, I see," Sasuke told, coming over to me and sitting across.

"Just to pass the time," I told, typing in some more things for my journal entry.

"Listen, about this morning," Sasuke started awkwardly, looking out the window. Aw man does he have to bring that up?

"Sasuke I already told you I was sorry."

"So you're okay with this?" he asked with an arched eyebrow.

I scoffed. "Psh, sure! We're friends, it shouldn't be that nerve-wrecking."

"So you'll be okay with me being in a bathing suit when we go to the beach," he said with a taunting smile.

My fingers froze behind my monitor. He's _really _trying to get to me today isn't he. "Yes Sasuke, I will be perfectly fine."

"You didn't seem perfectly fine when you fell on me this morning," Sasuke smiled, as if enjoying making me miserable.

I glared up and narrowed my eyes at the Uchiha. "Just, shut up."

"Just admit it Sakura you thought I was hot."

"Did not!" I laughed.

"You were red!"

"You too so put a sock in it!"

Tenten smiled at the scene. "I find it so amazing how two people can act in such a way when they clearly like each other."

"Try living with it for over a decade," Neji commented, coming up beside the brunette.

"You're, Neji right? Sakura's friend?" she asked, then holding out her hand. "I'm Tenten, Sakura's roommate."

"And you live to tell the tale. I'm Neji," he humored, making Tenten laugh and smile.

"The wheels on the bus go round and round~ Round and round~." Tobi sang up at the front the childish tune, all while Deidara drove the bus. The blond was quickly becoming annoyed of the masked man's antics. Meanwhile Itachi stood near the driver's seat, arms crossed while he watched the back passengers.

"Tobi just shut up!" Deidara snapped as he turned the wheel.

"Ah but I'm bored. This road trip's taking too long."

"Well don't blame me!"

"I should blame you you're taking the long route," Tobi pestered. "If you took the short cut we'd be at the beach already."

"What short cut? You don't even have a map."

"I don't need a map watch!" Suddenly Tobi jumped over Deidara and took the wheel, causing the large vehicle to shift left and right. While Itachi remained motionless everyone out back began to sway and fall. Sasuke and I fell sideways against the window on a hard turn while some others held on or slipped. I looked out the window and saw us turn off from the dirt road and in through the forest of tall pine trees, causing us to scream as we held on for our lives.

"See we're making great time!" Tobi exclaimed positively, dodging various trees in the bus's way.

"Argh, Itachi do something!" Deidara yelled from the floor, having been pushed out of the driver's seat by Tobi. Even with Deidara's pleaes, Itachi remained indifferent in the current situation. Within a matter of minutes, Tobi sprang his foot on the bus breaks, causing the bus to spin out of control through the forest clearing and through some bushes, only for it to stop on a sandy ground. Miraculously, we had arrived on the beach, one and all. The bus had tilted slightly to the right before landing on all six wheels at a complete and utter stop.

Thank God.

"Ow," I groaned, sitting up and rubbing my head. My back was rested against the side of the bus, Sasuke sprawled out on the floor in front of my feet. "Everyone in one piece?" I called out. I received various replies of positive answers, so at least no one was hurt. At least, no one back here.

"YOU DOLT YOU COULD'VE GOTTEN US ALL KILLED!" Deidara snapped as he placed his orange-masked co-worker in a strangling head lock. Tobi on the other hand seemed rather unfazed by this attempt at killing.

"Well I got us all here quicker didn't I? Told ya I knew a good shortcut!~"

"NEXT TIME CHOOSE A SHORTCUT THAT WON'T MAKE ME MURDER YOU!"

"Ugh, am I alive?" Kiba groaned with a muffled voice, Akamaru laying on his face.

"Tenten are you okay?" Neji asked, his arm covering he brunette for protection.

Tenten smiled. "Mm-hm."

"Argh, my hair!" shouted the mean red-head girl. The other two girls were also attempting to fix their 'damaged' looks as I sweatdropped at the sight. Only in a weird place like this could I have met such strange people.

"We're here," Itachi announced to everyone in the back of the bus. Naruto's head responded first and he stood up on his knees, looking out the window. A large grin overtook his face as he saw the blue ocean waters of the island bordering the long sandy beach. Seagulls could be heard flying over the blue skies as the sun's reflection sparkled in the blue.

"I never thought I'd live to see this place," Naruto smiled widely before the smile dropped and he turned to me. "Seriously, I really thought we were goners back there."

"You and everyone else on board," Deidara remarked, a deadly look on his face from fighting with Toby.

Unboarding the miracle bus, we all responded to the beach setting quite nicely, save for Naruto's over-excitement. "Welcome to the Shinobi Island Beach," Itachi told us teens.

"I can't believe you guys own a whole beach," I said as I tried to see the end of the place. Not even at the horizon. Then again, this was a private-property island.

"Well it comes in handy," Itachi spoke, walking past. In front of the group he turned towards all of us. "Like we announced earlier, this will be the simple vacation portion of your stay. Feel free to do as you please on the property. There are supplies to be used at your disposal at the shacks down west."

"Guess this really is a vacation," Sasuke blinked.

"Yeah, even Shikamaru already seems to be enjoying himself." We looked over and in the distance we could see Shikamaru laying in the shade of one of the trees, sleeping away. Naruto and Kiba were off in their own business, and it was then I realized we were missing someone. "Hey where's Neji?"

Sasuke turned his head. 'Strange. He was just with us."

"Awesome! Free time!" Naruto cheered next to me, coming between Sasuke and me. "Sakura, race with me to the shack!"

"I think she'll pass for now," answered Ino, coming up behind me much to our surprise. "Sasuke, Naruto, you wouldn't mind if we borrowed Sakura for a little while would you?"

"No not at all," Sasuke replied nonchalantly, leaving me no where in say.

"H-Hey hold on a sec I-"

"Oh calm down, Sakura! Come spend some girl time with us! We can all bond by choosing swim suits together!"

I was about to make a run for it but Ino managed to catch me by the ankle and cause me to fall onto the sand. With the sudden fall of defence she started to drag me away. "S-Swim suits? But Ino wait! I-I don't think I'd want, uh-"

"Have fun, princess," Sasuke called out, loud enough for me to hear.

At that instant I felt like retorting something at him with words a lady should never use, but I just remained quiet. Either way Neji's disappearance bothered me a little. Sasuke, too, I think. "Just where did he go, anyway?" I muttered to myself. Ino continued to drag me away from the guys and towards the rest of the girls. They also questioned Ino's strange ambitions but nonetheless she never let go of my ankles on our way to our destination.


End file.
